Article of repose for supporting the body of a person



June 21, 1960 P. s. FLETCHER ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed llay 25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. PETER s. FLETCHER AT TOR N E Y 5 June 21, 1960 P. s. FLETCHER 2,941,581

ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed May 25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PETER S FLETCHER BY awful qr ATTORNEYS June 21, 1960 P. s. FLETCHER 2,941,581

ARTICLE OF REFUSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed May 25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. PETER S. FLETCHER BY MW vsggr AT TOBNE! United States Patent ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Peter S. Fletcher, Boynton Beach, Fla., assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla.

Filed May 25, 1956, Ser. No. 587,322

13 Claims. (Cl.'155106) This invention relates to articles of furniture, and more particularly, to an article of repose for supporting the body of a person wherein a seat-back-rest unit is rockably mounted on a support.

An object of the invention is to improve on the construction of articles of repose of above described type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tilting chair or the like which may be readily tilted from a sitting position into a reclined position and vice versa.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a tilting armchair according to the invention, one side wall being broken away,

Fig. 2 is a side. elevational view of the tilting armchair shown in Fig. 1, wherein however the movable members of the chair are in the extreme reclined position,

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a different embodiment of a tilting armchair according to the invention, one side wall being broken away,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the tilting armchair shown in Fig. 3, wherein however the movable members of the chair are in the extreme reclined position,

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of a tilting armchair according to the invention, one side wall being broken away, and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the tilting armchair shown in Fig. 5, wherein however the movable members of the chair are in the extreme reclined position.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 generally indicates a support. On each side of the-chair a first arm 12 and a second arm 14 are swingably mounted on the support 10 at 16 and 18 respectively. A connecting link 20 is pivoted to the first arm 12 and to the second arm 14 at 22 and 24 respectively. The arms 12 and 14 and the connecting link 20 are the movable links of a constrained four-bar linkage, while the portion of the support 10 between the pivots 16 and 18 represents the stationary link of said four-bar linkage.

26 generally indicates a unit comprising a seat 28 and back-rest 30 rigid with each other. Said unit 26 is swingably mounted on the connecting link 20 at 32 at a point between and in alignment with the pivotal connections 22 and 24 of the connecting link 20 with the arms 12 and 14.

The front portion of the seat 28 of the unit 26 is pivotally connected with the upper end of a guiding link 34 at 36, the lower end of which is swingably mounted on the support 10 at 38.

A leg-rest 40 is pivotally connected at 42 and 44 respectively with two front arms 46 and 48 respectively of a controlling mechanism generally indicated by 50 of the type of lazy tongs. One rear arm 52 of said lazy tongs mechanisms is swingably mounted on the support 10 at 54, the other rear arm 56 of said lazy tongs 50 is pivoted at 58 to an extension 60 of the first arm 12.

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2. The sitting position of the movable members of the chair shown in Fig. v1 is limited by a stop 62 arranged on the support 10 for abutting engagement with the first arm 12.

When a person resting on the chair urges the weight of his body against the back-rest, the unit 26 will be tilted from the position shown in Fig. 1 into a reclined position for example the extreme reclined position shown in Fig. 2. The extreme reclined position is limited by an abutting engagement of the first arm 12 with a second stop 64 arranged on the support 10.

During such a tilting movement of the unit 26, the leg-rest 40 connected with and controlled by the controlling mechanisms 50 is propelled forwardly and up wardly into the position shown in Fig. 2.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4, again a four-bar linkage is formed by a. first arm 112 and a second arm 114 swingably mounted on the support at 116 and 118 respectively, and by the connecting link 120 pivoted to said two arms 112 and 114 at 122 and 124 respectively.

The connecting link 120 has an extension 121 projecting beyond the pivotal connection 124 between said connecting link 120 and the arm 114.

The seat-back-rest unit 126 is swingably mounted on an extension 121 of the connecting link 120 at 132.

The front end portion of the unit 126 is guided by a guiding link 134 pivoted to the unit 126 at 136 and to the support 110 at 138.

A leg-rest 140 is rigid with a link or arm 166 swingably mounted on the support 110 at 168. .The controlling mechanism for controlling the movements of the leg-rest 140 comprises the following members: An arm 170 swingably mounted on the support 110 at 172 is pivoted at 174 to one end of a link 176, the other end of which is pivotally connected with the arm 112 and the connecting link 120 at 122. The lower end of the arm 170 is pivoted at 178 to the rear end of a controlling link 180, the front end of which is pivoted to the arm 166 at 182.

I The sitting position shown in Fig. 3 and the extreme reclined position shown in Fig. 4 are limited by an abut: ting engagement of the link 112 with the stops 162 and 164 respectively mounted on the support 110.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the first arm 212 and the second arm 214 of the fourbar linkage are swingably mounted on the support 210 at 216 and 218 respectively. The connecting link 220 pivoted to said arms 212 and 214 at 222 and 224 respectively has an extension 223. The seat-back-rest unit 226 is swingably mounted on said extension 223 of the con necting link 220 at 232. Said pivotal connection 232 is ofiset to the pivotal connections 222 and 224 of the connecting link 220.

The front portion of the unit 226 is guided by a guiding link 234 swingably mounted on the support 210 at 238 and pivoted to the unit 226 at 236.

A leg-rest and its control includes the following members: An arm 284 swingably mounted on the support 210 at 286 is pivoted at 288 to a link 290 swingably mounted on the unit 226 at 292. The lower end of the link 290 is pivoted at 294 to one end of a link 248. the other end of which is pivoted at 244 to the leg-rest 240. Said leg-rest 240 is furthermore pivoted at 242 to one end of a link 246, the other end of which is pivoted at 296 to the lower end of a link 298 swingably mounted on the unit 226 at 200. The links 298 and 248 crossing each other are pivotally connected with each other at 202.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair are shown in Fig. 5 is limited by a stop 262 arranged on the support 210 for abutting engagement with the arm 212. The extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chair shown in Fig. 6'is limited by a stop 264 arranged on the support 210 for abutting engagement with the arm 21%.

I h 'e described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for. the purpose of illustration and that various changes in shape and proportion as well as the substitution of equiv alent elements for those herein shown and described may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

For example each of the embodiments shown in the drawings may be equipped with locking means for holding the'movable merribers of the chair in a predetermined position.

i :What I claim is: 1 In a reclining chair having a fixed support and a back-rest and seat unit mounted on said support for movement between a substantially level sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted reclining position, a constrained linkage arrangement mounting the rear end portion oi the seat on said support, said constrained linkage arrangeme'nt comprising first and second guiding links, first pivot means pivotally mounting the first guiding link in an upstanding position on the support beneath the seat, second pivot 'means pivotally mounting the second guiding link in an upstanding position on the support beneath the seat at a point spaced rearwardly from the first pivot means, a connecting link pivotally connected to the upper ends of said first and second guiding links and joining the same, and third pivot means pivotally connecting" said connecting link to the rear portion of the seat at a point spaced rearwardly of the first pivot means and forwardly of the second pivot means in the sitting position of the seat, the connecting link having a dead center position with at least one of the guiding links and being positioned to move toward said dead center position to guide the seat rear portion in a subs tantially horizontal path during the initial movement of the seat and back-rest unit to said reclining position, and then to move through said dead center position to guide the seat rearportionin a sharp downward direction during the further movement of the seat and back-rest unit to the reclining position. v "2 In a reclining chair having a fixed support and a back-rest snakes: unit mounted on said support for movement between a substantially level sitting position and a rearwardlylt ilt'ed reclining position, a constrained linkage arrangement mounting the rear end portion of the se at on said support, said constrained linkage arrangement comprising first and second guiding links, first pivot means pivotally mounting the first guiding link in an upstanding position on the support beneath the. seat, second pivot means pivotally mounting the second guiding link in an upstanding position on the support beneath the seat at a point spaced re arwardly from the first pivot means, a connecting link pivotally connected to the upper ends of said first and second guiding links and joining the same, and third pivot means pivotally connecting said connecting link to the rear portion of the seat at a point spaced rearwardly of the first pivot means and forwardly of the second pivot means in the sitting position of the seat, and guiding means for supporting and guidingthe forward portion of the seat rearwardly and along a substantially level plane, the connecting link having a dead center position with at least one of the guiding links and being positioned to move toward said dead center position to guide the seat rear portion in a substantially horizontal path during initial movement of thejseat and back-rest unit to said reclining position, and then to move. through said dead center position to guide the seat rear portion in a sharp downward direction dur ing the further movement of the seat and back-rest unit tic the reclining position.

3. In a reclining chair having a fixed support and a back-rest and seat unit mounted on said support for movement between a substantially level sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted reclining position, a constrained linkage arrangement mounting the rear end portion of the seat on said support, said constrained linkage arrangement comprising first and second guiding links, first pivot means pivotally mounting the first guiding link on the support beneath the seat, second pivot means pivotally mounting the second guiding link on the support beneath the seat at a point spaced r'e'arwardly from the first pivot means, a connecting link pivotally connected to the'first and second links and joining the same, and third pivot means pivotally connecting said connecting link to the rear portion of the seat at a point spaced rearwardly of the first pivot means and forwardly of the second pivot means in the sitting position of the seat, a leg-rest, and leg-rest control means for moving the leg-rest between a retracted position beneath the seat and an extended position forwardly of said seat, said leg-rest control means being coupled to one of the links of said constrained linkage for actuation by the latter. I

4. A reclining chair comprising a fixed support, a backrest and seat unit, and means movably mounting the unit on said support for movement between a substantially level sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted reclining position, said mounting means comprising a pair of gniding links pivotally mounted at spaced points on said support, and a connecting link pivotally connected to said guiding links and joining the same, the connecting link being pivotally connected to the rear portion of said seat and having a dead center position with at least one of the guiding links in which the line between its pivotal connection to the support and its pivotal connection to the connecting link is axially aligned with the line between its pivotal connection to the connecting link and the pivotal connection of the connecting link to the. seat, said connecting link and said one link being arranged at an angle at one side of said dead center position inthe sitting position of said unit and moving through and past said dead center position when said unit is moved rearwardly, the angle between said connecting link and said one link decreasing after said links have passed said dead center position to cause said connecting link to lower the seat rear portion.

5. A reclining chair according to claim 4 in which the connecting link is pivotally connected at its, ends to i the free ends of the guiding links and is pivotally connecte d intermediate its ends to, the seat.

6. A reclining chair according to claim 4 in which the connecting link is pivotally connected at one end to one guiding link, at its other end to the seat, and at an inter mediate point to the other guiding link.

7. A reclining chair according to claim 4 in which the connecting link has a transverse arm and a rigid upstanding arm normal thereto, the ends of the transverse arm being pivotally connected to the guiding links, the upstanding arm being pivotally connected to the seat.

8. A reclining chair comprising a fixed support, a back rest and seat unit, and means movably mounting the unit on said support for movement between a substantially level sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted reclining position, said mounting means comprising a pair of links pivotally mounted at spaced points on said support beneath the seat and extending upwardly therefrom, and a connecting link pivotally connected to the free ends of said pair of links and joining the same, the connecting link being pivotally connected to the rear portion of said seat and having a dead center position with at least one of the links of said pair in which it is axially aligned with the free end of said one link connected thereto, said connecting link and said one link being arranged at an obtuse angle at one side of said dead center position in the sitting position ofsaid unit and moving through and past said dead center position when said unit is moved rearwardly, the angle between said connecting link and one link decreasing after said links have passed said dead center position to cause said connecting link to lower the seat rear portion.

9. In a reclining chair having a fixed support and a back-rest and seat unit mounted on said support for movement between a substantantially level sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted reclining position, a constrained linkage arrangement mounting the rear end portion of the seat on said support, said constrained linkage arrangement comprising a first and second guiding link, first pivot means pivotally mounting the first guiding link on the support beneath the seat, second pivot means pivotally mounting the second guiding link on the support beneath the seat at a point spaced rearwardly from the first pivot means, a connecting link pivotally connected to the first and second guiding links and joining the same, and third pivot means pivotally connecting said link to the rear portion of the seat at a point above and rearwardly of the first pivot means and above and forwardly of the second pivot means in the sitting position of the seat, the connecting link, guiding links and the portion of the support between the first and second pivots constituting a constrained four bar linkage, the connecting link forming an obtuse angle with one of said guiding links in the sitting position of the chair, said one guiding link and connecting link moving to an aligned dead center position when the seat is initially moved rearwardly from its sitting position, with the seat remaining on a substantially horizontal plane during said initial movement, said connecting link and said one guiding link forming with each other an acute angle when the seat is moved past said dead center position to cause the rear portion of the seat to move downwardly relative to the support.

10. A reclining chair comprising a support, a back-rest and seat unit, and means movably mounting said unit on said support for a first motion phase wherein said unit is maintained substantially at the same level and in a sitting position and for movement through a second motion phase wherein the seat is lowered relative to said level and said unit is brought to a rearwardly tilted reclining position, said mounting means comprising first and second guiding links pivotally mounted in upstanding positions on said support, a connecting link pivotally connected to the respective upper ends of said first and second guiding links, means providing a pivotal connection between said connecting link and the rear portion of said seat, said connecting link and at least one of said guiding links being arranged at an obtuse angle relative to each other at the beginning of said first position phase and approaching at dead center position in response to rearward movement of the seat such that the seat is maintained substantially at said level during said first motion phase, said connecting link and said one guiding link approaching a folded position relative to each other in response to further rearward movement of the seat past said dead center position such that during said second motion phase the rearward portion of said seat is lowered whereby said unit approaches a rearwardly tilted reclining position.

11. In a reclining chair having a fixed support and a back-rest and seat unit mounted on said support for movement between a substantially level sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted reclining position, a constrained linkage arrangement mounting the rear end portion of the seat on said support, said constrained linkage arrangement comprising a first guiding link and a second guiding link, first pivot means pivotally mounting the first guiding link on the support beneath the seat, second pivot means pivotally mounting the second guiding link on the support beneath the seat at a point spaced rearwardly from the first pivot means, a connecting link pivotally connected to the first and second and joining the same, and third pivot means pivotally connecting said connecting link to the rear portion of the seat at a point spaced rearwardly of the first pivot means and forwardly of the second pivot means in the sitting position of the seat with the guiding links extending upwardly and forwardly and the connecting link extending upwardly and rearwardly from the first guiding link to the second guiding link, and the connecting link forming an obtuse angle with the first guiding link, the first guiding link and connecting link passing through a dead center position in which the pivotal connection between said first guiding link and connecting link is aligned with the first and third pivot means when the unit is moved rearwardly from its sitting position, the first guiding link and connecting link then forming a decreasing angle therebetween to lower the rear portion of said seat when the unit moves past the dead center position.

1 2. In a reclining chair having a fixed support and a back-rest and seat unit mounted on said support for movement between a substantially level sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted reclining position, a constrained linkage arrangement mounting the rear end portion of the seat on said support, said constrained linkage arrangement comprising a first guiding link and a second guiding link, first pivot means pivotally mounting the first guiding link on the support beneath the seat, second pivot means pivotally mounting the second guiding link on the support beneath the seat at a point spaced rearwardly from the first pivot means, a connecting link pivotally connected to the first and second links and joining the same, and third pivot means pivotally connecting said connecting link to the rear portion of the seat at a point spaced rearwardly of the first pivot means and forwardly of the second pivot means in the sitting position of the seat with the guiding links extending upwardly and forwardly and the connecting link extending upwardly and rearwardly from the first guiding link to the second guiding link, and the connecting link forming an obtuse angle with the first guiding link, the first guiding link and connecting link passing through a dead center position in which the pivotal connection between said first guiding link and connecting link is aligned with the first and third pivot means when the unit is moved rearwardly from its sitting position, the first guiding link and connecting link then forming a decreasing angle therebetween to lower the rear portion of said seat when the unit moves past the dead center position, and a guiding link pivotally mounted on the support and pivotally connected to the front portion of the seat, said guiding link permitting rearward movement of the forward portion of the seat without substantial downward movement thereof and cooperation with the constrained linkage to bring said unit to its rearwardly-tilted position.

13. In a reclining chair according to claim 12, a legrest and a leg-rest control linkage for moving the leg-rest between a retracted position and an extended position, one link of the leg-rest control linkage being pivotally mounted on the support, another link of the leg-rest control linkage being connected to the first guiding link for actuation of the control linkage by movement of said first guiding link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,210,739 Warner Jan. 2, 1917 11,896,048 Grinnell Jan. 31, 1933 2,240,850 Knabusch et a]. May 6, 1941 ,256,004 Thomas Sept. 16, 1941 ,683,481 Lorenz July 13, 1954 2,693,845 Hoffman Nov. 9, 1954 6,520 Ducrot May 22, 1956 2, 50,988 Luckhardt June 19, 1956 

